Standing Committees of the Provincial Executive

Standing Committees support the work of the Provincial Executive and are organized into three categories: Administrative, Program, and Coordinating Committees. Each committee’s mandate and responsibilities are defined in the NSTU Operational Procedures.

Comité de Programmation Acadienne

Studies the curriculum and all proposed changes in it as it relates to the Acadian schools under the direction of Conseil scolaire acadien provincial and reports its finding to the Provincial Executive.

  • Janika Moser, Chair, Central – 2027
  • Lise Boisvert, Northeast – 2028
  • Ian LeBlanc, Southwest 2026
  • Fernand d'Entremont, Southwest 2028
  • Sue Larivière-Jenkins, Provincial Executive Member
  • Kent Fraser, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Curriculum Committee

Studies the curriculum of schools and proposed changes and reports the findings and recommendations to the executive.

  • Kasi Humber, Chair, Colchester-East Hants 2026
  • Kenna MacLean, Cape Breton District 2027
  • Melissa Gordon, CSANE2026
  • Erica Ans, Halifax County 2026
  • Darlene Bereta, Northside-Victoria 2027
  • Lindsay Crossman Wheaton, Provincial Executive Member
  • Pam Langille, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Equity Committee

Concerned with matters pertaining to the current practices, attitudes and research regarding diversity, equity and social justice.

  • Holly Schaller, Chair, Cape Breton District 2026
  • Suzanne Hadley, Annapolis 2027
  • Quinn Kloppenburg, Halifax City 2026
  • Malik Adams, Halifax City 2027
  • Nadia Lamrani-Darwish, Kings 2026
  • Linda MacPhee, Lunenburg County 2027
  • Marilyn Skinner, Provincial Executive Member
  • Wendie Wilson, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

 

Finance & Property Committee

Concerned with the overall financial plans and policy of the Union; presents regular financial statements to the Provincial Executive; makes recommendations to the Provincial Exeuctive on matters referred to it by the Executive; costs resolutions to Council and prepares an annual budget for presentation to Council; considers such resolutions as may be referred by Council and makes appropriate recommendations; is responsible for the general oversight of properties held or leased by the Union and considers requests respecting major purchases.

  • Taunya Pynn Crowe, ChairSecretary-Treasurer
  • Sharon Midwinter, Cumberland 2027
  • Crystal Patterson, Halifax County 2026
  • Phil Samson, Richmond 2026
  • Vera Ryan, Provincial Executive Member
  • Melanie Waye, NSTU Financial Officer
  • Peter Day, NSTU President
  • Bethany MacLeod, NSTU Executive Director

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Governance & Policy Committee

Develops and reviews policy with a view to authority, responsibility and accountability.

  • Doug Read, Chair, Chignecto-Central Region
  • Andrew McCara, APSEA
  • Jemita Buchanan, Annapolis Valley Region
  • Rachelle MacIsaac, Cape Breton-Victoria Region
  • Sue Larivière-Jenkins, CSANE
  • Ben Sichel, Halifax Region
  • Sarah Tutty, South Shore Region
  • Janet O'Brien, Strait Region
  • Vera Ryan, Tri-County Region
  • Louis Robitaille, NSTU Staff Liaison
  • Peter Day, NSTU President
  • Bethany MacLeod, NSTU Executive Director

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Member Economic Welfare, Health & Safety, and Working Conditions Committee

Advise the Provincial Executive on methods to promote Member participation on Regional Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees; make recommendations to the Provincial Executive regarding professional development workshops to assist members with health and safety issues as defined by the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act; prepare background information related to the merits of negotiable items; identify trends and developments in teacher bargaining across Canada with special emphasis on the Atlantic Provinces; review economic forecasts; make recommendations to the Provincial Executive regarding workshops for regional negotiators.

  • Jo-Leigh MacPhee, Chair, 1st Vice-President
  • Heather Hiscock, Annapolis 2026
  • Heather Campbell, Inverness 2026
  • Ryan Locke, Halifax City 2026
  • Mike Jamieson, Halifax County 2027
  • Denise Stone, Yarmouth 2027
  • Chad Warren, Provincial Executive Member
  • Elizabeth Thomas, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Nominating Committee

Recommends to the executive the make-up of provincial committees.

  • Janet O'Brien, Chair
  • Chad Warren
  • Jemita Buchanan
  • Kim Dunning
  • Melissa Deveau
  • Peter Day, NSTU President
  • Bethany MacLeod, NSTU Executive Director

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Personnel Committee

  • Sarah Tutty, Chair, 2nd Vice-President
  • Andrew McCara
  • Kim Dunning
  • Taunya Pynn-Crowe, Secretary-Treasurer
  • Peter Day, NSTU President
  • Bethany MacLeod, NSTU Executive Director

Annual Report:

2024-2025

Political Action & Public Relations Committee

Recommends to the Provincial Executive opportunities for involvement in political action for NSTU members (and others) regarding government positions pertaining to public education; monitor the policies and practices of the major provincial political parties for the purpose of identifying matters with an impact on education and/or NSTU Members; advise the NSTU President and Provincial Executive regarding these matters; during provincial elections, monitor the major provincial political parties for their public education platforms and policies and inform the NSTU President and Provincial Executive of any concerns; identify educational matters for consideration by the Provincial Executive for political action; identify corporate social responsibility and social justice concerns for consideration by the Provincial Executive for political action; develop strategies for encouraging NSTU member involvement in the political process.

  • Lynnette Babin, Chair, Antigonish 2026
  • Nigel Tinker, Annapolis 2026
  • Katrina Murphy, Colchester-East Hants 2027
  • Meg Ferguson, Halifax County 2027
  • Mai-Ling Storm, Lunenburg County 2026
  • Chad Hanrahan, Northside-Victoria 2027
  • Chad Warren, Provincial Executive Member
  • Line Murphy, Provincial Executive Member
  • Angela Murray, NSTU Staff Liaison
  • Mark Laventure, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

 

Professional Association Coordination Committee

Advises the Provincial Executive on matters pertaining to professional associations, assists associations in carrying out their mandates, monitors the activities of associations and provides a communication channel between the Provincial Executive and Professional Associations.

  • Theresa Jennings, ATEC 2028
  • Dionne Reid, BETA 2026
  • Erin Mullen, CTEANS 2026
  • Leijsa Squires, NSLTA 2026
  • Meghan MacNeil, SPAA 2027
  • Steven Corbett, SSTA 2027
  • Peter Murphy, Provincial Executive Member
  • Amanda O'Regan-Marchand, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

 

Professional Development Committee

Reviews and develops policy, and programs intended to improve the effectiveness of teachers as professionals and advances education through research in Nova Scotia classrooms. Make recommendations to Provincial Executive on recipients of Educational Research Awards, Travel Fellowship, Conference Grants and Full Time Study Grants.

  • Sarah Baldwin-Penny, Chair, Queens 2026
  • Sarah Slauenwhite, Digby 2027
  • Jason Jennings, Halifax County 2027
  • Lauren Slaunwhite, Kings 2026
  • Pauline Seymour, Richmond 2027
  • Janet O'Brien, Provincial Executive Member
  • Amanda O'Regan-Marchand, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025-

 

Status of Women Committee

Promotes ways of enhancing the status of women in the teaching profession and in society.

  • Leigh-Anne Rizzo Baker, Chair, Cape Breton District 2026
  • Bernice MacNeil, Cape Breton District 2026
  • Viviane Abdallah, Dartmouth 2027
  • Jen Bradley, Digby 2027
  • Kassie Rose, Halifax County 2026
  • Cindy Ng-Ivanoff, Halifax County – 2027
  • Jemita Buchanan, Provincial Executive Member
  • Wendie Wilson, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025

 

Substitute Teacher Committee

Advises the Provincial Executive on issues affecting and of concern to substitute teachers.

  • Desi Trott, Chair, Dartmouth 2026
  • Christina Grant, Cape Breton District 2026
  • Liam Timmons, Colchester-East Hants 2027
  • Chahinez Moussa, CSANE 2026
  • Jess Wells, Halifax County 2027
  • Dan Bunbury, Northside-Victoria 2026
  • Angela Ewing, Provinvial Executive Member
  • Tim MacLeod, NSTU Staff Liaison

Annual Report:

2024-2025